Tuna and Raw Veggie Bowl (Dairy Free)

Coming back from vacation always gives me whiplash. This time around, things were especially difficult given the fact that I boarded a red-eye from California – the land of sunshine and palm trees – and woke up in gloomy, rainy New York. But that oh so pleasant post-vacay slump also came from the realization that no, I couldn’t keep eating massive meals and indulging in desserts and fried food.

One of the healthier meals I had on vacation was poke (if you’re in LA, give Mainland Poke a try). It was refreshing and left me feeling clean – not bogged down like some of the other dishes I’d been eating. The beauty of poke is that it adheres to my belief that combining a few simple veggies and ingredients can result in something incredible and good for you – no fancy processes or spices needed.

The moment I touched down in NYC, I vowed to grab some ingredients and make my own version of poke for this week’s lunch as a diet reset. I am all about eating seafood but, as a former vegetarian of many years, have not yet crossed over into the realm of preparing raw fish at home. I just don’t quite trust myself…this is still reserved for sushi chefs. So I made my own version of poke with roasted tuna, and it was delicious! I can’t wait to nosh on these bowls all week. The below ingredients made three large portions.

Ingredients:

3 to 4 medium zucchini

raw tuna sliced into 1-2 inch cubes (I sliced up two individual portions in total – about 3 cups worth)

2 jalapenos

1 cucumber

1 handful of baby carrots

1 sliced avocado

Toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, coconut oil

Optional: black sesame seeds, Sriracha

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Remove the skin of the zucchinis using a vegetable peeler and chop off the stems. Use a spiralizer, mandolin or Vegetti to make all of your zucchini into “noodles”. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of each of the following: coconut oil (liquid), toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and soy sauce. Add in Sriracha for spice as desired.

Whisk thoroughly with a fork or whisk, then put your tuna cubes into the marinade, rotate until fully coated, and cover and set aside in the fridge.

In the meantime, prep your toppings. Dice or shred the carrots and thinly slice cucumber and jalapeno rounds.

After the fish has been marinating for at least 20 minutes and the oven is preheated, set the fish onto a baking tray with a bit of coconut oil as a nonstick base. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until your tuna is flakey when poked with a fork. Let cool.

In a small dish, whisk up your sauce: 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of soy sauce, and a teaspoon of Sriracha. Build your bowl, combining all of the ingredients, then top with black sesame or other toppings as desired.